Toy drum



(No Model.)

B. RICE.

TOY DRUM,-

No. 286,069. Patented Oct. 2, 1883.

, WITNESSES: INVENTOR 8 BY 3mm W I w ATTORNEY N. PETERS. FholwLxlhcgmphu. WMM M, n c.

UNITED STATES PA'IENT OFFICE.

BERNARD RIOE, OF BROOKLYN. NINV YORK.

TOY DRUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286 .C69, dated Octcber2, 188".

Application filed September 5, 18922.

To all who/72, it may concern:

Be it known that l, Bnnmuo Rice, a cut zen oi." the United States ol' America, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State 01' New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Drums, of which the followin g is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention is particularly adapted to the manull'teture of toy drums.

The invention relates to the manner of constructing the shell or body of the drum and also the straps for tightening the cords.

In carrying out my invention the shell or body of the drum is made from a strip of veneer-wood, preferably cut off the sheet from a revolving log bent in a direction parallel with the grain of the wood and at right angle to the direction in which the veneer is cut from the log.

Heretofore the shell or body of the drum has been made of wood whichhas been sawed or cut lengthwise ol' the log and then, planed and bent into shape by steaming the wood and joining the ends together over a form with nails, afterward sandpapering the shell to prod uce a smooth surface. Among the objections to such a mode of construction may be men tioned that sawed wood is more expensive than veneer-wood, besides the additional cost and labor of planing andsandpapering. Moreover, sawed and planed. wood,to retain strength, cannot be reduced to the thinness of veneer-wood, so essential in the construction of small drums.

The steaming process to bend the sawed wood into shape, aside from its additional cost, expands the wood and opens the pores and fibers, impairing the sounding qualities. The shell or body of the drum, with the exception of a small hole, should be comparatively air-tight, which cannot be attained when the ends are fastened together with nails.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a drum constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view of my improved I ti ghteniu g-strap, (brace.

Similar letters designate similar parts.

A designates the shell or body of the drum, which is made from thin veneer-wood cut from the log in a direction parallel with its axis.

To form the shell of the drum, the strip of (No model.)

veneenwood is bent by means of a deflector in the direction of the grain of the wood and at right angle to the direction in which it is cut from the log, thus giving it, though thin, great strength and elasticity. Il'it is desired to give the veneer-wood still more compactness, strength, and elasticity for bending, the wood may be subjected to the action of heated. calender-rolls such as are described in Letters Patent granted to A. B. Biee,l\[ay 6,1879, No. 215,162. Alter bending the veneerwood into the desired shape, the ends are joined togctherby glue. Theheads and hoops ol the drum are then attached in the usual manner. The advantage of such construction is the cheapness ofveneer-wood in comparison to sawed and planed wood, reducing the cost of production, while at the same time producing a lighter, thinner shell, so essential to produce resonance in a small drum, lessening the cost of production, and giving the drum a nicer appearance. Being bent dry,the fiber and pores are not opened, but,on the eontrary,are closed and compact, and the ends being glued together makes the shell. comparatively airtight when mounted, all of which contribute to obtain a better sound.

In. order to give the drum a better and uniform appearance, thehoops are also glued to gether by glue or any other adhesive substance, instead of being nailed, as done heretofore.

Theimproved tightening-strap is made of a single piece ot' flat leather, B, having three holes, 0 c, and forn'iing three points of a triangle. In placing the strap in position both strands of the eordj'are passed through the upper hole, (6, and then one strand is passed through one of the lower holes, 0, and the other strand through the other hole, 0. By this means a brace is formed which enables me to tighten the cords tighter, and not as liable to slip. Such a strap can be produced cheaper than the sewed and tin-fastened strapsuscd heretofore.

The lines 2' and figures I), for ornamentation of toy drums, haveheretot'ore been painted by hand, making it very expensive, and, unless skillful labor is employed, uneven and inaccurate. To meet this objection I make the lines and figures by means of stencil-platcsf which reduces the cost considerably,producing at the same time great accuracy and evenness,

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

- 1. A toy drum having its shell or body made of veneer-wood bent at right angles to the di- 5 rection in which it is out from the log, substantially as herein described.

2. In a toy drum, a shell or body made of a strip of veneer-woodhaving its ends joined together with glue or any other adhesive sub- 10 stance, substantially as herein described.

3. In a toy drumhaving thelines and figures 'for ornamentation of the body of the drum made by means of stencil, substantially as herein described.

I 5 4. In atoy drum having the tightening-strap eordf, substantially as herein described.

- I11 testimony whereof I affix my signature in 2 5 presence of two witnesses.

v BERNARD RICE. YVitnesses: I I

FRANCIS CLARE BOWEN, E. T., JoHNsoN. 

